A week later, New York-

"You've made lots of progress, Danny. Almost two months later and you are no where close to where you were when I first met you. But, you still have a long way to go to reach your goal."

Danny was in rehab for a month. When he was released he spent lots of time working on himself through counseling, meetings, and getting his life in order.

He had no contact with anyone, really. The last he had talked to family is when he arrived home December first. He tried reaching out to Jessica multiple times but it was clear to him that her number was changed and that obviously meant she wanted no contact with him.

That saddened him tremendously. He missed her at the twins more than anything and wondered how they were everyday.

Danny was not only fighting his problem with
Alcohol but his depression as well. It was eating him alive, dragging him down, and stopping him. But that's what this counseling was for. To keep him on track and not let him lose his goals.

"I really miss her..." He mumbles

The woman sighs then sets her papers down. "Have you tried reaching out to her in other ways?" She asks

Danny nods "No, her changing her number was aimed towards me to let me know that she doesn't want anything to do with me. But I know she loves me and that she is curious. She's always been a curious person."

"Maybe she wants to keep a healthy mind, for the sake of her pregnancy. So maybe it was in a way aimed towards you, but not in the way that you think."

"I worry about her, I think about it, she's on my mind all day everyday. I'm doing this all for her."

"You're doing this for yourself, Daniel."

He sighs "But I'm a father... a fiancé. If I was doing this just for myself I wouldn't be. I liked drinking. It helped, it was therapy." He snaps

"This is your new therapy, Daniel. Going in to rehab you didn't know if your family would be there waiting for you. They weren't. It's just you, Danny."

Danny cries softly "I had it all.... I don't think she'll take me back. I don't think she'll forgive me... I was unfaithful and she still doesn't know that. When she finds out she'll drop me. I can't lose her. I love her too much. I want to marry her. I don't want to miss a thing anymore. I want to be there when our baby is born. I want to be present. I want to see my
Kids."

"You want so much, but this is where you face all the things that alcohol hurt. Yet you still would rather use it as therapy. You hurt your family, you hurt Jessica. You need to face that."

//-//

Minnesota-

"Goodness, there is so much blue!" Jessica says as her and Dorthy set up the nursery.

For now, until Jessica was ready to find a home for her and the kids, she was going to stay at Dorthy's. Luckily it was her childhood room, filled with a bunch of empty rooms that used to be her siblings. Scarlett and Wyatt were staying in Jane's old room and Jessica was staying in the guest room which is where the baby would stay.

"This little boy is going to be super spoiled. I love it."

"I wish I had some of the twins old things. But they're all in Minnesota. I left a lot behind." Jessica sighs

"Well, I think you have enough for now. You're all set with everything you need."

"Four more weeks, I can't believe it..." She says rubbing her belly

"It went by fast, didn't it?"

"Very... I'm excited. Just more happiness that we all need right now." Jessica smiles

"Have you thought of any names?"

"Hmm, no, not yet." Jessica sighs

"You'll figure it out." Dorthy gives Jessica a kiss on the cheek and smiles.

//-//

Later that day Jessica was taking Scarlett and Wyatt over to Zoe and John's. Jessica had lots of Christmas shopping to catch up on and Zoe has offered to spend the day with them.

"Ahhh, there are the twinsies! How much we've missed you!" Zoe and John say as they pick up the little ones and twirl them around

Jessica smiles and sets all of their things down.

"Oh Jessica, you look beautiful, as always. I can't get over how well your sisters set up your shower. It was absolutely beautiful!" Zoe smiles

"I'm excited to have another boy join the Huston clan!" John chuckles

"It's crazy how fast it's going." Jessica says

"John, you play with them for a bit while Jessica and I go talk." Zoe says taking Jessica's hand.

They go into the kitchen and sit down at the table with some hot coco.

"How are you?" She asks sincerely

"Really? I'm falling apart Zoe."

Zoe closes her eyes and nods. She takes Jessica's hand and softly cries with her.

"I'm so scared for my future... I've tried so hard to think of ways to talk with Danny... but I don't see a point, because I can't see him in my future anymore. He hurt me... I can never forgive him for how he was. When I think about this baby, the birth, and Danny, it scares me just as much. I just don't I know what to do." She cries

"Danny left rehab on the first. He spent a month working on himself Jessica. He's almost two months clean, and doing great. He's just as afraid to reach out to you because he's so ashamed. I understand where you are coming from, I'm just as angry! But I wanted you to know that he's working on himself. He is no longer working with the firm anymore."

Jessica was relieved to hear that Danny was working on himself and out of rehab. That's all she really wanted to know, is that he was healthy. But she was stunned to hear that he wasn't working.

"He quit his job?" Jessica says with wide eyes

Zoe nods "I think it was for sure a trigger."

"Wow."

Zoe sighs

"Do you think he'll come out here? For Christmas? Do you think he'll try to see me? I really don't know if I can see him." Jessica panics

Zoe holds Jessica's hand tight. "If you don't want to see him, you won't have to. You deserve all the time you need."

It was such a relief for Zoe to back up Jessica and be so comforting. Everyone felt for Jessica and wished this had not happened. Danny was in the wrong all the way. If Jessica didn't want him around he had to respect that. The obstacle for Zoe would be telling him that he'd be spending Christmas without his family.

//-//

Later that day Jessica was walking around the mall trying to get all of her Christmas gifts for family and the twins. With things being hectic lately, she didn't really have anytime. So, the holiday stressors kicked in and Jessica was running around the stores like a maniac.

As Jessica was checking out she had dropped her wallet. Everything fell out and Jessica went into panic.

"Shit!" She says as a sworm of people come over to help the helpless pregnant lady.

"Thank you." Jessica says to a man who handed her the last of her penny's.

As she looks up she was shocked to see such a familiar face.

"Oh my god." Jessica says

"Well, we always seem to run into each other at the craziest times." Sam says as he gives her a side hug.

"Sam, I cant believe I ran into you. You always show up at the worst times!" Jessica says

Sam laughs awkwardly

"Sorry, that was rude! I didn't mean for it to sound like that." She says holding her mouth

"You're pregnant!"

Jessica sighs with exhaustion "Yes, I am."

Jessica puts her wallet away and moves over to the side of the line with Sam.

"Congrats... you look great."

"You know, people keep telling me that. Quite frankly I don't feel it." She chuckles

"Nah, you're a beautiful lady."

There was a quick moment of silence. Neither Jessica or Sam knew what to say.

"Can we catch up? Maybe lunch? Now? I'm hungry." She giggles

Sam was relieved when he heard her offer. "Yes, of course, please!"

//-//

Jessica and Sam got a table at a restaurant in the mall. It was awkward at first, but right off the bat Sam could sense something was going on with Jessica and she was about to burst. He knew her almost more than anyone else after spending seven long years with her.

"So, how have you been? I feel like it's always about the pregnant lady. But what have you been up to?" Jessica asks

"Well, I'm doing all kinds of stuff. Mostly construction. I really enjoy it. I'm thinking this summer of starting my own little company. Sometimes I'll do little handy work for neighbors, family, friends. I like to keep myself busy." He smiles

"That's wonderful. That's funny, you're into construction, I do interior design! We can be like those people on HBO!"

"Ahh, you used to love HBO." He chuckles

"More than anything! Then I had kids and I haven't been able to sit down and really enjoy tv in a long time. You know what! Let me go into business with you! You build, I decorate!" Jessica chuckles

"I don't know how you could work with me from New York...." he chuckles

"I'm living here now." She says

"Oh, really?" Sam was shocked, but a little happy to hear the news. Immediately he looked at Jessica's ring finger... there was no ring.

Jessica notices him glance at her finger. "Danny and I.... well, it's complicated. I don't think there will be a future for us. Ever since i left New York I've been meaning to find work after the baby arrives."

"Ill take you up on your offer when the time comes. I'll make your HBO dreams come true... I'm sorry to hear about you and Danny." He says

"Unfortunate, huh? I bet you're laughing inside." Jessica sighs

"I put the past behind me, Jess. You have to also. I mean look, you got two, soon three, beautiful children out of that whole mess!" Sam chuckles

Jessica giggles "You're right... thanks for having lunch with me. I bet your girlfriend wouldn't be too happy about this."

Sam rolls his eyes and chuckles "Jessica, please. Not one relationship I've had has worked out. I've come to the conclusion that god only gave me one great love."

Jessica blushes... but immediately snaps out of her daze.

"Haha... yeah..."

"Sorry... that's inappropriate of me. I mean you're technically still with Danny..."

Jessica shrugs her shoulders "I don't know what's going on with that.... we haven't talked."

"Well, since you're the new kid in town again, I'd love to catch up more. Especially before that baby comes! Can we do this again? Maybe think of some business ideas."

"Yes! Oh my gosh yes!" Jessica says

"Great, thank you for today. It was fun!"

//-//

Ahhh, I always have to bring Sam in... sorry! I've been thinking of ways for Jessica to find out about the affair! When/ how do you want Danny to tell her??? Do you want them to have a future?? Gosh there are so many different ways this story could go and I'm just sooo torn!!